Job Overview

We are seeking an experienced clinician to join our small, friendly team delivering a telephone-based Family History Service. This 1 PA role involves assessing women and Islanders assigned female at birth (AFAB) with no personal history of breast cancer but a significant family history. You will provide accurate risk assessment, evidence-based lifestyle advice, and counselling on screening and risk reduction. The role includes identifying very high-risk individuals and arranging referral to UK specialist centres for genetic counselling and testing. This is an excellent opportunity to contribute to preventative care in a supportive, patient-centred service.

The Post

Familial breast cancer risk represents an established and measurable clinical consideration within the well‑woman population. The Clinical Lead for the Family History Service is a pivotal role that enables accurate risk assessment, evidence‑based lifestyle guidance, and counselling regarding appropriate screening strategies and risk‑reducing options for women and Islanders assigned female at birth (AFAB), with no personal history of breast cancer, but with a family history indicative of an increased risk of breast malignancy. The assessment process identifies very high-risk individuals who will then be offered a referral to a UK centre for onward genetic counselling and testing to assess for hereditary cancer predisposition.

Duties

• Ability to draw and interpret a family pedigree and have knowledge of recommended software programmes to analyse risk
• Stratify risk according to national guidelines and recognise women who have a higher than population risk of breast cancer who may be eligible for screening and/or genetic testing
• Organise moderate/high-risk screening in secondary care and the referral of very high-risk screening to the NHSBSP
• Explain the benefits and limitations of genetic testing to patients and facilitate eligible patient access to genetic testing in tertiary care via local pathways
• Understand the importance of moderate and high-risk screening, the limitations of imaging modalities employed, their benefits and pitfalls including false positive recall, anxiety and missed diagnosis
• Understand the structure and organisation of moderate and high-risk breast screening including the role of primary care, family history breast clinics, genetic services, the NHS very-high-risk breast screening programme and NICE guidance
• Maintain knowledge of hereditary breast cancer and genetic testing relating to high-risk breast cancer genetic mutations
• Understand the concept of risk stratification and polygenic familial risk, the multifactorial nature of breast cancer risk and how a family history assessment is a proxy for testing this risk
• Understand the indications for, and implications of, risk reducing surgery, including gynaecological interventions and the role of the MDT in this scenario
• Understand how to use genomic data in clinical care and the role of the Mainstreaming Cancer Genetic Programme

The Specialty

This service sits within the Intermediate/Community Care Group under Screening Programmes.  Familial breast cancer risk assessment is a specialised area of breast medicine focused on the evaluation and management of women and AFAB people with a family history suggestive of an increased risk of breast cancer, but with no personal history of the disease. The speciality involves detailed family history assessment, formal risk stratification, and evidence‑based counselling regarding surveillance, lifestyle modification, and risk‑reducing strategies where appropriate.

Management Structure

Health and Care Jersey is a directorate of the Government of Jersey that is responsible for the delivery of specialist health care and the running of the general hospital. The directorate is led by a Chief Officer, Tom Walker who leads an executive team including a Director of Clinical Service, Claire Thompson and a Medical Director, Simon West who is also Medical Responsible Officer/Suitable person with the GMC for appraisal and revalidation. Health and Care Jersey is organised as a series of care groups each with leadership team lead by a chief of service as detailed below. This post sits within the community care group.

Infection Control

All employees have a duty to comply with Health and Care Jersey guidelines and policies in relation to Infection Prevention and Control. The post holder will have a duty to ensure that they minimise the risk of infection and infectious diseases. This responsibility includes minimising the risk by highlighting any concerns to the appropriate person.

Qualifications and Skills

Essential: 

Primary Medical Degree

Full Registration with the General Medical Council (GMC) with a License to practice (for overseas candidates it is mandatory that a license is obtained prior to appointment)

Clinical Experience in similar NHS environment or equivalent

Applicants that are non-UK trained, will be required to evidence of equivalence to the UK CCT

Broad range of IT skills.

Desirable: 

ALS

Leadership and Management

Essential:

Evidence of Clinical Leadership

Ability to Work Flexibly with Colleagues to provide services

Ability to Work Effectively with a Multi-Disciplinary Team, motivating and influencing others through their enthusiasm

Ability to communicate effectively with colleagues, patients, relatives, GPs, nurses, management and other agencies

Highly motivated

Personal Attributes

Essential: 

Able to work flexibly in a changing health service

Ability to work as part of a team

Effective communicator